Things I love:

Things I Love:

:: The smell of freshly dug earth. Almost as good as frying bacon, or a freshly-washed babe. Mmm...

:: Sore muscles created by hard work.

:: Calloused hands. 

:: That deep deep sleep caused by physical work.

:: Being outside when the birds are twittering on a bright sunny day.

:: The prospect of new things springing to life by your very own hands.

:: The thought of fresh summer tomatoes.  The smell of a tomato vine is up there with bacon, babies, and dirt!

:: The funny stories and giggles coming from a certain three-year old who is "helping" his Momma dig.

Hmmn...can you tell the Gardening Fervor Season has begun around here?

While most folks are still buried under the snow, we're turning earth and prepping the soil for the summer veggie garden. 

The picture above is one part of the garden where we've been digging.  All day.  Yesterday, we dug for over an hour.  2-3 feet deep in spots. 

What comes up when we dig that deep is pure beautiful white sand. 

Absolutely gorgeous. 

Looks like snow. 

Of course, I go and mix it in with the darker sand, the mulch, and the composted mulch. 

Not as pretty anymore.

But I'm thrilled.

Because that mixture means new possibilities in the garden this year.

Last year, in a rush, we scooped loads of peanut mulch onto the ground and planted directly in that.

This year, I'm digging below the mulch, deep into the sand below, and mixing it up.

Then I'm going to add composted cow manure and mix that in, too.

Never thought I'd be so excited about cow manure.

But there you have it.

I am.

Ver' ver' ver' excited.

Desperately want some chicks to go with it.

Not so much for their eggs, although that would be good, too.

But for their garden-cleaning ability. 

 Snatching up weeds, weed-seeds, and buggies. 

Dropping their waste on the garden, fertilizing the soil. 

O, Pioneer!

I haven't decided exactly what I'm growing yet this year.  

But I am expanding the garden.

And working on the compost pile.

I can't get my hands on enough gardening info right now.

Magazines, blogs, websites, books, you name it. 

I'm all over it.

I'm practically foaming at the mouth for a new subscription to "Organic Gardening" to arrive.

My potting soil will be here today, so tomorrow, Leif and I will spend the day planting.

And then we'll work more on the soil. 

 Digging, mixing, dumping.

Leif is in his perfect element!

Leif + Dirt = Perfect Happiness

Play trucks, diggers, and excavators are all just bonuses.

:)

What are you planting this year?